Actor Jonathan Bennett, known for his roles in the original "Mean Girls" film, Hallmark Channel movies and now Broadway, will godfather the Carnival Firenze.
The Firenze is the second of Carnival's Italian-themed ships acquired from its sister brand, Costa. The 130,000 gross ton ship will homeport in Long Beach, Calif., where it will be christened on April 24. The ship, which will sail its maiden voyage with the brand on April 25, will cruise Mexican Rivera itineraries and can accommodate more than 5,000 guests.
While Bennett is not Italian (unlike Jay Leno who godfathered Firenze's sister ship, the Carnival Venezia), he spent his honeymoon on a Carnival ship and is an avid cruiser, according to the line.
"After he sailed on the first voyage of Carnival Firenze's sister ship Carnival Venezia last May, he told me it would be his dream to be the godfather of one of our ships, so how could I turn down such a request from such a terrific friend to Carnival," said Carnival Cruise Line president Christine Duffy.
Duffy snuck into one of Bennett's rehearsals to ask him to be the Firenze's godfather, which was captured on video.
Bennett's acting career began on the soap opera "All My Children." He then shifted to film, playing Aaron Samuels, the main love interest in the 2004 movie "Mean Girls." He has since starred in a string of other films, including Hallmark Channel movies and TV shows, including as the host of MTV's "Copycat" and the Food Network's "Cake Wars." He has also hosted New York Times Square New Year's Eve, home to the famous ball drop which Carnival has hosted for the past three years. Bennett is currently appearing on Broadway in the revival of the musical "Spamalot."
Bennett and his husband, Jaymes Vaughan, launched an LBGTQ+ cruise company in 2021.